Starcastle -

Starcastle was an American symphonic-rock band that released four albums between 1976 and 1978 on Epic.

Their first three albums — Starcastle, Fountains of Light, and Citadel — are noted for their elaborate fantasy covers and lavish music, which explore themes of aquatic enchantresses and celestial marvels. Starcastle’s epic numbers include “Lady of the Lake,” “Stargate / Sunfield,” “Fountains,” and “Diamond Song (Deep Is the Light).”

Hallmarks of their sound include harmonized tenor vocals, crisp melodic bass, and staccato guitar/keyboard counterpoint — features often likened to Yes.

Members: Steve Hagler (guitar, lead vocals, piano, 1969-80, 2007), Paul Tassler (bass, 1969-71), Mike Castlehorn (drums, 1969-70), Steve Tassler (drums, percussion, vocals, 1970-80, 1999-2007), Herb Schildt (keyboards, organ, piano, synthesizer, mellotron, 1970-78, 1999-2006), Gary Strater (bass, vocals, guitar, clavinet, 1971-2004), Matt Stewart (guitar, vocals, mandolin, sitar, 1973-81, 1999-2007), Terry Luttrell (lead vocals, 1973-78, 1999-2002), Ralph Goldhiem (lead vocals, keyboards, 1979-82), Mauro Magellan (drums, 1980), Scott McKenzie (drums, 1982-87), George Harp (lead vocals, 1982-87), Bruce Botts (guitar, 1982-86, 1999-2007), Mark McGee (guitar, 1986-87), Jimmy Wagner (keyboards, 1986), Al Lewis (lead vocals, 2002-07), Woody Lingle (bass, 2007), Oliver Wakeman (keyboards, 2007)

Background

Starcastle evolved from the covers band St. James, formed in 1969 in Champaign–Urbana by guitarist Steve Hagler and bassist Paul Tassler. After the death of drummer Mike Castlehorn in a 1970 road accident, Paul’s brother Steve Tassler joined the band. Around the same time, they expanded to a four-piece with keyboardist Herb Schildt. The following year, Paul cleared way for bassist Gary Strater.

The band filtered through a sequence of names (Pegasus, Mad John Fever) before settling on Starcastle. In 1973, they welcomed singer Terry Luttrell and second guitarist Matt Stewart. Luttrell was fresh off a four-year, one-album stint with fellow Champaign rockers REO Speedwagon. After several years spent gigging and developing material, Starcastle signed to Epic in 1974.

In late July 1975, Starcastle played before 650 Michigan fans during a two-night engagement at Chances Are, Ann Arbor’s premier rock venue on E. Liberty St.

Starcastle

Starcastle released their self-titled debut album in February 1976 on Epic.

The album contains seven group-written originals marked by Gary Strater’s trebly bass, Herb Schildt’s grandiose keyboards, Stephen Tassler’s seismic drums, Stephen Hagler’s soaring leads (and counterpoint with Matthew Stewart), and lush, harmonized tenor vocals of Terry Luttrell.

Side A features “Lady of the Lake,” a ten-minute opus with an epic verse that passes through contrapuntal bridges to a non-sequitur chorus. “Elliptical Seasons” takes a sparse, folksy route, followed by the anthemic “Forces.”

Side B contains two further epics (“Sunfield,” “To the Fire Wind”) bookended by “Stargate” and “Nova,” both intergalactic instrumentals.

A1. “Lady of the Lake” (10:26)
A2. “Elliptical Seasons” (4:24)
A3. “Forces” (6:24)

B1. “Stargate” (2:50)
B2. “Sunfield” (7:40)
B3. “To the Fire Wind” (5:16)
B4. “Nova” (2:34)

Sessions occurred in late 1975 at Golden Voice Studios, a privately owned Pekin, Illinois, facility used for concurrent albums by Dan Fogelberg, David Chalmers, Head East, and Skyeros. Veteran A&M soundman Tommy Vicari produced Starcastle in sequence with titles by Alphonso Johnson, Gino Vannelli, Harry Nilsson, and Norman Connors. The co-engineer, Norm Kinney, worked on overlapping titles by Alphonso, Gino, and LA Express.

Sci-fi/fantasy illustrator Alex Ebel created the Starcastle cover image, which depicts castles of star-shine chrome, airbound on cloud formations (back left, far right and foreground). Ebel’s illustrations appeared in the Fifties pulp publications Space Science Fiction and Fantastic Story Magazine and in the subsequent Heavy Metal. He also illustrated space-age covers for MFSB (Philadelphia Freedom) and Roy Buchanan (You’re Not Alone).

Mother’s Finest producer Tom Werman wrote the back-cover liner notes, which convey how Starcastle made “a living as a six-man band in the ’70s.” Epic lifted an edited “Lady of the Lake” as a single (b/w “Nova”).

On March 10, 1976, Starcastle played to a 3k-crowd at Detroit’s Ford Auditorium as part of a CBS triple-bill with English blues-rockers Dr. Feelgood and headliners Journey, a Bay Area jazz-rock supergroup. On April 18, Starcastle played Flint’s 6k-capacity IMA Auditorium as openers for Rush, a Canadian hard-rock trio whose just-released fourth album, 2112, broke them stateside. On May 11, Rush and Starcastle played Detroit’s Masonic Temple with a third act, pop-rockers Artful Dodger. In mid-June, Starcastle supported the J. Geils Band in Saginaw (6/13: Wendler Arena) and Lansing (6/14: Civic Center), joined at the latter by Luttrell’s former band, REO Speedwagon.

After sessions wrapped in their second album, Starcastle played before 6,142 attendees at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, where they opened for new label-mates Boston, whose just-released debut album achieved instant Platinum status.

Fountains of Light

Starcastle released their second album, Fountains of Light, in January 1977 on Epic.

The album carries the sound and format of its predecessor with the lengthy opener “Fountains,” a lavish epic followed by “Dawning of the Day” and “Silver Winds,” which segue together with Herb Schildt’s sparkling keyboard runs. Side B advances the starlight theme with “True to the Light” and “Diamond Song (Deep Is the Light),” a harmonized wall-of-sound anthem.

Guitarist Stephen Hagler doubles on electric and grand piano on Fountains of Light, which features bassist Gary Strater on clavinet and second guitarist Matthew Stewart on slide and sitar.

A1. “Fountains” (10:25)
A2. “Dawning of the Day” (3:46)
A3. “Silver Winds” (4:57)

B1. “True to the Light” (6:27)
B2. “Portraits” (5:03)
B3. “Diamond Song (Deep Is the Light)” (5:36)

Sessions occurred in Québec with Queen soundman Roy Thomas Baker at Le Studio, a Morin-Heights facility used concurrently by Nazareth, The Ramones, and Pilot, who named their third album after the tourist town (a popular skiers destination). Baker produced Fountains of Light between the debut by Welsh rockers Lone Star and Overnight Angels, the third solo album by ex-Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter.

Le Studio regular Nick Blagona engineered Fountains and Angels amid work on 1976/77 albums by Eclipse, Gotham, Lougarou, and Lavender Hill Mob. Epic lifted “Diamond Song (Deep Is the Light)” as a single (b/w “Silver Winds”).

Fantasy illustrator Peter Lloyd created the Fountains of Light cover, which depicts a giant crystal space globe where a winged lady with starlit eyes hovers over a water-erected small dome in which the starcastle stands. Lloyd’s illustrations also grace 1974–77 covers for Jefferson Starship, Kansas (Song for America, Point of Know Return), Libra (Winter Day’s Nightmare), Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Laws.

On March 30, 1977, Starcastle reteamed with Journey for a Wendler Arena triple-bill with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, who scored a recent Billboard No. 1 with “Blinded By the Light.” On April 16, Starcastle opened again for Rush at Welsh Auditorium in Grand Rapids. Two nights later, Starcastle and Brummie rocker Steve Gibbons opened for Nils Lofgren at Detroit’s Masonic Temple.

Citadel

Starcastle released their third album, Citadel, in October 1977 on Epic.

The album contains eight group-written songs that range from lavish epic rock (“Shine On Brightly,” “Evening Wind,” “Why Have They Gone”) to harmonized pop (“Can’t Think Twice,” “Could This Be Love”).

Herb Schildt’s arsenal consists of organ, piano, mellotron, and the Oberheim synthesize. Guitarist Matt Stewart doubles on mandolin and sings multi-tracked harmonies with lead player, Steve Hagler, bassist Gary Strater, drummer Steve Tassler, and vocalist Terry Luttrell.

A1. “Shine On Brightly” (5:14)
A2. “Shadows of Song” (5:08)
A3. “Can’t Think Twice” (3:51)
A4. “Wings of White” (4:48)

B1. “Evening Wind” (5:27)
B2. “Change In Time” (4:31)
B3. “Could This Be Love” (3:23)
B4. “Why Have They Gone” (6:53)

Sessions occurred in England at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Oxfordshire, where Roy Thomas Baker produced Citadel between albums by cabaret-glam singer Peter Straker (This One’s On Me) and the debut by American new wavers The Cars. Chipping staffer Barry Hammond engineered Citadel in sequence with titles by Norton users Muscles and the Olympic Runners.

Citadel features a fantasy cover illustration of a chrome castle with lighted pinnacles on a rocky land under celestial skies with large, hovering lunar objects. Detroit-born fantasy illustrator twins Greg and Tim Hildebrandt created the piece amid work on poster art commissioned by 20th Century Fox for the 1977 sci-fi/adventure blockbuster Star Wars.

The backside and inner-sleeve features group pics against blue, neon-bolted backdrops by photographer Mark Hauser of Hauser & D’Orio, whose images also grace 1976/77 covers for Charles Earland, Crack the Sky, Curtis Mayfield, and Streetwalkers.

Epic lifted “Could This Be Love” as a single (b/w “Change In Time”). On October 16, Starcastle played Detriot’s Masonic Temple as openers for Utopia, who just released their second album of 1977, Oops! Wrong Planet.

On March 9, 1978, Starcastle supported Gary Wright at the Mount Pleasant Rose Arena. On August 9, Starcastle played Lakeview Arena in Marquette as openers for Styx, who played material from their upcoming Pieces of Eight. On September 9, Starcastle opened for supergroup U.K. at the Masonic Temple.

Real to Reel

Starcastle released their fourth album, Real to Reel, on October 21, 1978, on Epic.

They advance the pop-rock approach of select Citadel moments on eight Real to Reel tracks, including “Song for Alaya” and “We Did It.” Producer Jeffrey Lesser co-wrote three songs: “Nobody’s Fool,” “So Here We Are,” and “She.”

Real to Reel concludes with “When the Sun Shines at Midnight,” a lavish harmonized ballad reminiscent of earlier symphonic works. Guitarists Stephen Hagler and Matthew Stewart double on piano and slide, respectively. Bassist Gary Strater doubles again on clavinet while Herb Schildt plays organ, piano, and synthesizer.

A1. “Half a Mind to Leave Ya” (4:46)
A2. “Whatcha Gonna Do (When It All Comes Down On You)” (3:31)
A3. “We Did It” (3:51)
A4. “Nobody’s Fool” (3:58)
A5. “Song for Alaya” (3:04)

B1. “So Here We Are” (3:55)
B2. “She” (3:41)
B3. “The Stars Are Out Tonight” (3:52)
B4. “When the Sun Shines at Midnight” (6:15)

Sessions occurred in April/May 1978 at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, where Lesser (a prior Rupert Holmes collaborator) produced and engineered Real to Reel in sequence with albums by Head East, Pat Travers, and Strawbs.

Real to Reel features monochrome group photos of Starcastle half-shirted to the camera (front) and jazz-handed mid-air (back). The photographer, Bob Seidermann, also photographed images for 1977/78 albums by Dixie Dregs (Free Fall), Sparks (Introducing), Supertramp (Even In the Quietest Moments), and Valerie Carter (Wild Child).

Epic lifted “Half a Mind to Leave Ya” as a single (b/w “Song for Alaya”).

Discography: